A Mombasa court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of defiling a six-year-old girl in Likoni.
The man was convicted of defilement contrary to Section 8(1), as read with Section 8(2), of the Sexual Offences Act, No. 3 of 2006.
He also faced an alternative charge of committing an indecent act with a child, contrary to Section 11(1) of the same law.
The prosecution, led by Counsel Purity Musembi from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), told the court that the accused lured the minor into his house under the pretext of watching television before committing the offence.
The incident occurred on November 6, 2022, in the Kiwerera area of Likoni Sub-County.
Five prosecution witnesses testified in the case, placing the accused at the scene of the crime.
Delivering judgment, Resident Magistrate Green Odera ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were consistent and credible,” Odera said.
The court heard that the child later informed her mother of the incident and identified the perpetrator as a neighbour.
The accused was apprehended by family members and members of the public before being handed over to officers at Likoni Police Station.
The minor was taken to hospital, where a medical examination confirmed the assault.
In sentencing, the court emphasised the seriousness of sexual offences against children, noting that the punishment was intended to serve as a deterrent at a time when defilement cases remain high in the country.
The ODPP, in a statement after the ruling, reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights of children and ensuring justice in cases of sexual and gender-based violence.
The ODPP is Kenya’s National Prosecuting Authority, established under the Constitution of Kenya (2010), and is headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The office operates independently as stipulated under Article 157 of the Constitution, though the DPP is required to present annual performance reports to the President and Parliament.
